Monday, July 29, 2013

9th Anniversary...

Mt. Rainier and Reflection Lake from Stevens Canyon Road.
 
This past Wednesday was our 9 year anniversary.  To celebrate Rue planned a little one night camping trip to Mt. Rainier just the two of us.  We camped at Ohanapecosh on the south east side of the mountain.  

The evening we arrived we set up our little camp and then went on the little nature trails by the visitor center.

Ohanapecosh Hot Springs

Ohanapecosh River

Small suspension bridge to the Grove of the Patriarchs.


 
So many shades of green.

 The next day (after sleeping 11 hours straight...we needed it!) we hiked into Glacier Basin.  This is the view of Mt. Rainier on the hike.  There were lots of warning signs about bears and even Rangers with rubber bullet rifles but we didn't see any.  There were a lot of people up there so I am guessing the bears just wanted to stay away.  We saw a lot of climbers coming down from the summit including a guy who had carried a small lawn chair with him to the summit. 

 Glacier Basin with Mt. Rainier peeking over the ridge in the distance.
 Our lunch spot by the river.
 Rue made a little "cooler" (to the left of him) so we could have cold drinks.  :)  The water was ice cold and it made our juice nice and cold. 
 We saw a sign for a back country toilet.  I was expecting an outhouse but we discovered these...out in the open...yeah.  Needless to say we stood guard for each other.  :) 
My man and the mountain. 

We had a really lovely time.  My hubby knows exactly what to give me for our anniversary, he couldn't have done better.  

Now a week from today we will be leaving for our annual family trip to Kalispell, Montana and camping in Glacier National Park.  Rue's aunt and uncle live in Kalispell and are avid hikers in Glacier. This is a week of preparation for me for the trip. Tomorrow I am taking my parents to the airport as they are heading to Anchorage to spend a couple of weeks with my brother, sis-in-law and little squishy nephew Charlie in Alaska.  And Wednesday is my 29th birthday!  It's going to be a fun busy week leading up to a fun busy vacation!  :)

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Camping in the Hoh...

This past weekend we spent three nights in the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park.  My in-laws joined us along with my sister-in-law and her husband.

We didn't do any big hikes but simply enjoyed the nature trails and river.  We also drove 30 minutes to the coast and Ruby Beach. 

The weather was perfect, we couldn't have asked for better. It as pretty much 70 degrees and sunny everyday. No threat of rain even in the rainforest. 




 "Tree house"


 The Sitka Spruce grow big here.


 Daniel and Grampa George
 The Hoh Rainforest visitor center.
Ruby Beach
 Starfish in a tide pool.
 Daisy on the rocks.


This is how we sunbathe on Pacific Northwest beaches,,,fully clothed.  :)